Automobile shock control



Feb. 26,1929.

H. W. SANFORD AUTOMOBILE SHOCK CONTROL Filed July '5, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l @Noam m Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,323

H. w. SANFORD AUTOMOBILE SHOCK CONTROL Filed July 5, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Siwa-nto@ @wa/mme@ I W' l l. @5w

Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,323

H. w. SANFORD AUTOMOBILE SHOCK CONTROL v Filed July 5. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheva?I Patented Feb. 26, l.1929.

UNiTEosT-ATES kHUGH w. SANFORD, or

KNoXvILLn, TENNESSEE.

AUTOMOBILE SHOCK CONTROL.

f Appiicationk'ied July 43,

My improvement relates generally `to means for controlling the up and down movement of the body of anautomobile or similar vehicle in response to strains exerted upon the il body when the wheels of the vehicle pass'over irregularities iny the road surface. The action of my apparatus is chielyconcerned with 'the control or retarding of rebound of the automobile body when the wheelsof the auto# Vi mobile pass depressions or elevations, wherebv theV body-'supporting spiings yare vcoinpressed and subsequent recoil of the springs tends to cause? rapid upward movement Aor rebound of the body.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is asectional elevationshowing my improved-mechanism'applied to the axles and body of lan automobile;

Fig. EZ'is a horizontal section `onfthe line, n zoe-adrian* Fig. 3 is a View similar to'F ig. 1, portions being broken away;

Fig. 4L is a' horizontal section on the line,

Fig.v 5 is a horizontal" section onrtheline, k5--5, of Fig. 3, the rearA straps beingconnected by a horizontal bar; Y

Fig. 6 is an upright sectionV on theline, 6 6, of Fig. 3, looking toward 'the' right;

Fig. illustrates a forni in which' rigid links are used at each end of thefi'nechanism and a cushioning spring is used Vat the forward end; .f-

Fig. S'is similar to Fig. 7, the cushioning spring being applied at the i'earvend of thev a detail View of the forward makes.. B'is thefront vaxle andC'is the rearv axle. S, Sv are ordinary bladespringsifor supporting the chassis ontlie axles.` Between Y the front axleand the forward part of the chassisisa `toggle* composedA lof theupp'erl rigid link, D, and the lower rigidlink, D1, the upper 'end "of the link, D, beingcoupled to first to Figs. `l and 2, A desig- 1924. Serial No. 724,168.

being coupled to the lower end of the lower link, D1, while thelower end of the link, D1, is coupled to the front axle, B, A rope, strap or chain, E, has its upper end connected to the chassis while'its lower end is connected to the axle, C. Said member, E,is yapproximately as long as the combined lengths of the toggle members, D, and D1, in order that the middle port-ion of the member, E, may bedirected toward the toggle and' forni anangle similar, butnot necessarily equal,to the angle .of thetoggle when rtherear end of the chassis is Vin its normal or middle position, such position being the'ordinary position intermediate the extreme lower position-.and the extreme position attained, respectively,i`during the" com-pression'of the rear `springs and during the subsequent yrei-expansion of the rear springs. f, V

From the middle joint of the toggle, D, D1, a tension vmember composed of the forward section, F, and a rear section,F1, and a cushioning spring section, F2, the rear end of the section, F1, being joined to the middle of the rope, Vstrap yor chain, E. The toggle, D, D1, and the member,.E, andthe tension member tension member' under some tension when the rear end of the chassis is innormal position. y

.to rise appreciably above normal -without 'ex-l.

ertingV tensionl 1 through the tensionl member,

fare preferably so proportioned as to putthe F, F1, to tend to straighten the toggle,Df,' D1,

and-raise the forward end ofthe chassis.` Thus'the weight and inertia of the forward .endy of the chassis and theforwardend ofv theiautomobile body tend to resist the upward rebound of the rear end of the chassis and the vautomobile body. d f v Thegcushioning spring member, F2, fis placed between the parts, F and F1, of the i tension. member toadapt the tension member to yield endwise in a `resilient manner, in or- 'derj'that tlievtransmissionof strains may be graduated `or lmade lessabrupt When not omitted. y .f l Byreference to Fig. 2, itwill be scent-hat thisV mechanism is duplex,y there being ltwo toggles and .two tension members and two strapr members, E, whereby .engagement is neededVv for this purpose, this spring maybe made between eachside of, the chassis and the faxles. v n

,'55 the chassis andthe lower end of said link yfflnthe form 3,4, 5 and` may be made by shitting is lto facilitate adaptingv the mechanism to particular automobile to which the mecha-l the structure is the same as in Figs. l and 2, excepting that the compression spring ineinber is diierent-ly applied and provision 1s made tor adjusting the engaement of; thev tension member with the member, Fi, which in this case is a broad strap. The tension member consi sts oit a rope, G, and an eye bolt, G1, which is coupled to the rope and extends rearward through the strap, E. The rope, Gr, is looped through the eye ot the eye bolt, G1, and the end ot said rope is secured to the body ot the rope by means oit a clamp, G2. The eye bolt is screw-tl'ireadcd trom near its eye to its rear end. A pair ot jam nuts, G3, surround said bolt in'nnediately in iront ot the strap nieinber, E. At the opposite side ot said strap is a seating me1nber,-G. On the outer end ot said bolt are a pair ot jam nuts, G5. Between the nuts, G5, and the seating member, G". is a contracting or cushioning spring, GG, whichr bears against the nuts, G5, and against the seating member, Grt, and tends to effectively torce the eye bolt rearward. By appropriately shitting Vthe nuts, G5 and G3, on the eye bolt, the resistance oiiered by the spring, G, may be varied and the relation betweenthe strap member, E, and the toggle, D, D1, through the tension member may be varied.

1 ln the form shown by Fig. 4;, only a single strap member and a single toggle and a single tension member are used. In Figs. 5 and 6, these members are shown duplex, engagement being made at each side of the chassis; and the' seat-ing member, Gr", is made a bar extending t'rom one eye bolt to the` other.

he chiell purpose ot the adjustment which the nism is applied. Ordinarilywhen suitable adjustment has been found by trial, that adjustment may vcontinue unless there is wealtening ot the cushioning spring or a stretching ot the tension member, whereby the previous relation ot the parts is changed.

ln Fig. 7, the tension member is a rigid and continuous rod, l-Lextending slidably through the toggle block, H1, and through jhe block, H2, at the rear ot' the mechanism, a rigid link, H3, being coupled to said block and the rear part oif the chassis or body, and a link, H4, beingv coupled tovsaid block and the rear axle. @n the rear end of the rod, H, is a head, H5. n the v'Forward endv ot said rod are threaded a pair oi jam nuts, H6.

Between said nuts and the toggle block, H1, is a cushioningspring,H7. During downward movement ot' the rear part ot the body "andrhassis, the links, `HLov and H4 and the blocli, ll5,are'tolded, said block sliding tor ward on the'rod, H, or said .rod sliding vtorward in the toggle block, H1. is in upward lmotion above its normalposition, the links, H3 andH, and the block, H2,

the nuts, G5 and Gd, i

ot the automobile body.

When the body' will be drawnY toward upright position, whereby the block, H2, is made to draw the rod, H, rearward, whereby the toggle at' the front ot the mechanism is moved toward upright or straight position, which involves the raising ot the frontend of the body and chassis.

Vln Fig. 8, thestructure is the same as in Fig. 7, excepting that the lforward end of the rod, H, is coupled to the toggle as in Fig. l, while the head., H5, is omitted from the rear end ot the rod and the rod is extended rearward and threaded to receive j am nuts, H8, and a cushioning spring, H9, tween said nuts and the block, H2.

In Fig. 9, the forward part ot the mechanism is the same as in Fig. l but the member, E, is omitted and the part, F1, ot the tension member is extended rearward under ,and

against the axle, C, and thence upward to the chassis, said end being suitably joined or coupled to the chassis. For upward rebound, Ahe chassis must pull' ,the tension member,

F1, upward and rearward around the axle,.

whereby the part, F, of the'tensionrmember is drawn rearward and the toggle partially straightened,*whereby the forward end ot the chassis and ythe automobile I body are lifted.

Fig. 10 shows this mechanism in duplex form, Y

engagement being made at' the two sides ot'` the chassis. In Fig. 1l, thepart, F1, of the tension member is applied as in Figs. 9 and l0.` The torward end of said member is coupled to the eye et' an eye bolt, I, which extends `forward through the lower endetl aroclring or tilting member, Il, which bears on the front axle,

B. Immediately ,at the liront` of the member, l, nuts, l?, are threaded on said eyebolt. The upper end ot the member, l1, extends in to a stirrup,.l", which permits endwise or horizontal sliding or slipping of said'` rockingmember rela-tiveY tothe chassis. During upward reboundV o t the rear endA of the chassis, the tension, member, F1, pulledV upward, whereby rearward strain isjapplied on the eye bolt, I, whereby torceis exerted on the lower end ot the member, Il, tending to tilt the same on the axle, B, whereby the rear. end of said member, l, pressesup# and upper ward and tends to lift the torwardpart ot the chassis, whereby the weight Vand inertia ot the forward `part ot the'chassis and the lforward partl of the automobile body-tend to resist the upward rebound oit rear part Variation in the relation between the two ends Aolz the Vautomobile body may be 'made by shifting the nuts, I2, on the eye bolt, I.

In Fig. 12, themeeting ends of the toggles have holes forchanging theeoupling atthose ends. v v f Since in usual practice the greaterpart ot the automobile load rests on the rear springs,

the control of rebound ofY the rear part ot i so the chassis and automobile body is of domin nating importance.

Characteristics ofmy improved mechai nism may be noted as follows A (l) Movement of the rear end of the automobile body above normal position causes struction, the front end of the body can not move downward without pulling the rear end down. Such downward movement will be resisted by the inertia of the rearend.

(5) Both the front and the rear `ends vof the body can move downward in unison below their normal positions without any ac tion being exerted by vmy control mechanism.v upon either end, provided the'angles of the mechanism are the same at the front and at the rear. Y y

The relation of the mechanism to the two ends of the body may ybe adjusted with reference to the needs of the rear part of the body, so that while loads are varied, the rebound control will be practicallyuniform.

(7) The use lof flexible straps, ropes or chains to Vform the 'tension' member makes possible applying the mechanism without iii-A,

terference with the engine, brake rigging, andother automobile parts, the tension member being deflected over vor, under said parts,

A whereby the mechanism is adapted to easy installation on any standard automobile.

(8) By lengthening `the .toggles relative to the rear connection when the car is loaded approximately evenly, a limited downward movement of the front end rof the car will throw forward the apex or angle ofthe toggle fast enough to compensatel for the greater' compression vat the rear, wherebyv the tension member connecting the two front-'and rear folding members is kept under'. tension. By

vaiying thewlength of the toggle more or less, the tension of the tension member at different stages of the operation may be varied. n

(9) Variation of the length of the toggle relativevto the rear connection will vai-y the resistance offered by the front end vof lthe automobile body to upward movement of the rear part of the body above normal position.

` (10) The resistance to rebound of the rear ofthe bod above ,its normal position re'- vents buil ing up or `'accumulating a vi ration foi'cetendin toward astrongvibration betweenpoints a vek and below the normal position. Such vibration force tends to build up when the road surface has frequent irregularities adapted to time approximately with the compression and expansion of the yreai' springs of the automobile.`

y (1l) The mechanism issimple and may be constructed and installed at moderate cost.

I claim as 'my invention,

of chassis lifting means supported by the froiitraxle and engaging tlie'forward end'ofl the chassis, tension means engaging the rear axle and the rear part of the chassis and in operative relation with said' lifting means to actuate the lifting means to apply upward force to the front part of the chassis when l. The'combinatio'n with a vehicle chassis, l

the rearfend of thel chassis is in upward motion above its normal position. f

- 2. The combination with a vehicle chassis, of chassis lifting means supported by the front axle andy engaging thezforwaid end of the chassis, tension means engaging the rear axle and the rear part of the chassis and in operative relation with saidlifting means forvpulling said lifting means to actuate the lifting means to apply'upward force to the front part of the chassis when the rear end of the chassis is iii upward motion above its' normal position.

3. The combination with a vehicle chassis and a `front axle and a rear axle, of rocking means connected with the front part lof the chassis and the front axle, andtension means in operative relation with said rocking means` and the rear part of the chassis and the rear axle for pulling the tension means to actuate said rocking means for lifting the front part` Y lof said "chassis while the rear part of the, chassis is in upward motion above its normal position.

4. The combinationwith a vehiclev chassisand a front axle and a rear axle, of rocking kmeans connected withthe front .part of the chassisand theV front axle, and cushioned tension means in operative relatioiiwith said rocking l means and therear part of said chassis and the rear axle for pulling thejtenvsion means to actuate said rocking means for lifting the front part` of said chassis while thel rear part of the chassis is in upward mo,-

tion above its normal position.

5. The combination with a vehicle chassis and a' front-axle andra rear axle, of a toggle,

lod

structure connected with the front axle and the front part of the chassis, andV tension means in operative relation with said toggle and the lrear part of saidchassis and the rear axle lfor straightening the 'toggle when the rear partof the lchassis is inl upward motion above its normal position. p

6. Thev combination with a chassis and Va front axle anda 'rear axle, of a toggle struc-y ture connected with the front axle and theY front part of the'chas'sis, and cushioned tension means iii operative relation Iwith (said rocking means and the'` rearpart ofl said chassis and the rear axleV for pulling the 'ten-`yAV sion means to actuate said rock-ing meansilo being in operativo relation with the rear axle and the rear part of Said chassis for straightening the toggle When the rear part of the chassis is in upward motion above its normal position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine, this 30th day of June, inthe year one thousand nine hundred and twenty-four.

V'HUGH W. eANFoRD. 

